Free AP English Language & Composition Question and Answers

Question 1

Which of the following is NOT true about Mr. Severe?

Accepted Answer

A disgusting, cruel slave owner

Answer

The question asks what is *not* true about Mr. Severe. If "A disgusting, cruel slave owner" is the correct answer, it means that, according to the passage, this description is inaccurate for Mr. Severe. This would imply the passage portrays him in a way that contradicts the common understanding of his character from Frederick Douglass's narrative, where he is indeed depicted as highly cruel and inhumane.

Question 2

Which of the following best describes the passage's literary style?

Accepted Answer

personal anecdote

Answer

A personal anecdote is a short, individual account of an event or experience. Given that this passage is likely from Frederick Douglass's autobiography, it would recount specific, personal experiences from his life as a slave. This makes it a direct, first-person narrative focused on a particular incident, fitting the definition of a personal anecdote.

Question 3

Which response best captures the tone or mood of the author in this passage?

Accepted Answer

Outraged

Answer

Passages describing the extreme cruelty of slave owners and the suffering of enslaved people, especially from a former slave's perspective, are typically infused with strong moral condemnation. An "outraged" tone reflects the author's intense indignation and anger at the inhumane treatment and injustices depicted, aiming to evoke a similar emotional response in the reader.

Question 4

Who was Colonel Lloyd, according to the passage's implicit meaning?

Accepted Answer

A white slave owner

Answer

In Frederick Douglass's narrative, Colonel Lloyd was the wealthy and powerful owner of the plantation where Douglass was born. As the ultimate authority figure who owned thousands of slaves and oversaw the entire system, his role was clearly that of a white slave owner. The passage would implicitly establish this hierarchy and his position of power over overseers like Mr. Severe.

Question 5

Which of the following conclusions about the author can be drawn?

Accepted Answer

He overcame a lot to become a talented writer

Answer

The very act of writing and publishing a detailed, articulate narrative about the brutalities of slavery demonstrates the author's significant literary talent. Given that enslaved people were systematically denied education, the author's ability to produce such a powerful text indicates he overcame immense obstacles to achieve literacy and become a skilled writer, a testament to his resilience and intellect.

AP Practice Test

AP Practice Test

Free AP English Language & Composition Question and Answers